Month: October 2023

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The Washer and Faith

Have you ever encountered a situation in which you had no idea what to do?

As of January 1, 2023, United States had a population of over 328 million, the world had an estimated population of over 8 billion, and there was a variety of answers to my question. But think about your own experiences. What did you do?

We know how to look up help in a phone book … woops. That’s old technology and hints at my age. We now often “google it” to find help. Or we ask friends who they recommend for us to call. But in some manner, we look for people we think we can trust. Hiring them, we put our faith in them to solve the problem.

Four years ago, our trailer developed a water leak. We found the area of the leak, but didn’t know how to fix it, so we called in an expert. The repairman came out within an hour and took care of it in 30 minutes. Situation solved. Or so we thought. After traveling to the next town and connecting to the water system, water resumed leaking under the bathroom cabinet. Since the RV expert didn’t cure the trailer’s ill, we had to do something else.

We knew the general area of the leak, but it was in very tight quarters and we couldn’t reach it. So, we bumped it up to a higher level of expertise and took it back to the dealer. We had faith in them and were confident that they could take care of the situation. Until we got there, we didn’t use the water system.

That reminds me of a situation back in 1973.

I was an Accredited Journeyman Home-Appliance Technician and was called out often to repair these necessities of life. Most of the calls were routine and simple for me to fix. Of course, I’ve told our kids, “Anything’s easy if you know how to do it.” And I knew most the appliances inside and out.

But one day I was called to a home to repair a washer machine that I had never seen before. If it had been a Hotpoint, Frigidaire, Maytag, or any other of many brands, I would have done the job within an hour and been on my way. But I didn’t have the knowledge to repair this one.

Normally, a higher authority would be called – but I WAS the authority. What was I supposed to do now?

Actually, I was the authority on the human level, but there was, and is, a Higher Authority on my call list: that Authority is God. Because of past circumstances in which God guided me, I learned to have faith in Him, and I put my trust in whatever He says. So, in this situation, I prayed.

“Lord, You’re the Master technician. You know exactly what the problem is with this washer, and You know how to fix it. If You show me what to do, I’ll fix it, and get paid for it. I’ll give you tithe on what I earn, and I’ll give you the credit and the honor for it everywhere I go. Thank You, Lord.”

And I sat on the floor in back of the machine and waited for the Lord’s advice.

After a few minutes, the owner of the house came into the laundry room and asked, “Mr. Linzey, I haven’t heard any noise back here; are you okay?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’m just contemplating my next move.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes, there is. Could you make me a cup of coffee – with cream and sugar?”

That would give me at least five more minutes. And not knowing what to do, I continued sitting and waiting for God to help me.

A minute or two later, the answer entered my mind. Not only the answer, the procedure of how to fix it entered my mind just as if I had listened to the Master Technician on the telephone.

The woman brought me the coffee while I was in full operation, and I had the machine repaired, reassembled, and running within 40 minutes.

Back to the leaking trailer …

The dealer knew exactly what to do, fixed it, and we’ve had no water leaks since then. We feel secure when we find people who know how to take care of problems.

God can help us in any and every situation in life. But in order to hear from God, we must know Him and trust Him. How do we learn to know God? Read the Holy Bible, especially the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Jesus said in John 14:6-7, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Learn to know Jesus by reading the Gospel of John.

Learn to know Jesus. Believe in Him and believe that He loves you and wants to help you. Honor God by how you live and obey Him when He guides you. You’ll find that He will help you, even when you are working on a washer machine.

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Be Ready for Surprises

Carol and I have an exciting life. We often don’t know from one day to the next what we’ll encounter – whether we’ll enjoy the events or be disappointed that we got out of bed. However, we understand that every day and in every situation in life, we have choices about how we’ll respond to circumstances. Sometimes events may be planned, but often they seem to pop up out of the blue. But we choose to respond in ways that honor the Lord.

For example, I wanted to visit my brother in California who was having health problems. Stopping for the weekend to visit with a dear, life-long friend who is a pastor, at 5:30 on Saturday evening, the pastor asked, “Would you be willing to preach for us tomorrow?”

I could have reacted with, “This is too short of a notice. I need more time to prepare.” But that’s not how God works. God had a plan in mind for both the church and for me, and I didn’t need much time to prepare. God had already been preparing the message in my mind and heart.

Another example developed as we were planning our route west from Albuquerque. Snow was forecast for Flagstaff, and pulling a trailer uphill in snowy weather is not my idea of safe traveling. So, we decided to take the southern route through Las Cruces, NM, and west through Mesa and Phoenix, Arizona.

However, we found out that God guided us in choosing the southern route because another friend who lived in Mesa had passed away. Her husband, Bill, called and asked if we could be with him at the home-going ceremony which would be at 10:00 AM on Monday. We agreed and arrived in Mesa on Saturday and stayed with Bill through the weekend.

Arriving at the cemetery at 9:30 AM on Monday, we interacted with Bill and the other family members, but the pastor hadn’t arrived yet. Finally, at 9:55 AM, I asked Bill, “Where’s your pastor?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? You’re him.” Surprised, I asked if he had an agenda. He said, “You’re it.”

I turned to the funeral director and asked him about his agenda. He responded, “I was told you’d have it.”

Again, I could have complained about not being informed beforehand. But if we are truly followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, our lives and schedules are in His hands, and He has the freedom to guide our paths. That eliminates a lot of potential stress.

I took a deep breath, sent up a quick prayer, and reprogrammed my mind. Four minutes later we began our Celebration of Life service. It didn’t take any time for preparation because God was in charge, and Jo had been Carol’s and my friend since the early 1990s. I opened the meeting with prayer, then related an interaction with her when I was music minister where she played trumpet in the orchestra. Other friends who had known Jo since the 1980s were there, along with Jo’s husband and family. They, and others, added stories from their past. We truly celebrated her life, and it seemed like it was all planned.

Guess what? It WAS all planned – in the mind of God.

When a surprise springs up in front of us, all we need to do is ask the Lord for guidance. God likes that, and always has an answer. He’s in charge, and all we need to do is communicate with Him and be ready to obey.

That reminds me of another interaction many years ago.

In 1978 when Carol & I, with our 3 older kiddos were getting ready to relocate from New Mexico to Oklahoma, an older pastor in Albuquerque gave me this admonition:

“Gene, don’t open your own doors. You, and others who are like you, have a tendency to open doors that God doesn’t want open. Keep your hands off the doorknobs. Let God open the doors for you, but be sure to go through the ones He opens.”

“May I try the doors and see if they’re unlocked?”

“You may lightly push – with one finger. But keep your hands off the knobs.”

I’ve lived by that rule and God has led in wonderful ways.

Many surprises await us, so trust God for His guidance. Psalm 28:7a says, “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.” Be ready to obey, and enjoy the surprises.

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Is There Life Without Internet?

This is a follow-up of my blog last week. But this trip, in late 2018, took us up to the Great Northwest. We were staying at the Silver Lake RV Resort about 48 miles west of Mount St. Helens, not far from Castle Rock, Washington, .

My Precious Carol and I have been staying at an RV Campground since September 15 that does not provide wi-fi service for us. They do provide it for people staying for two weeks or less, but those of us who stay long-term have to pay for our own internet service, wi-fi, and electricity. All you veteran RVers probably know what I’m talking about, but this was new to us.

I laughingly and facetiously asked my Bride of 52 years, “Is there life without internet?”

She reminded me of when our three older kids were in elementary school. The school officials were going to conduct an experiment that was titled: Is there life after TV? The Public Schools were cooperating in a research endeavor regarding the effects of television on family life.

This was not mandatory for everyone, but on Monday morning all kids in the school were encouraged to refrain from watching television for the next 7 days. The kids took notes home to their parents asking them to participate with the project.

The kids were asked to bring in daily reports of what they did each day and how life changed; but in our house, we watched very little TV so I didn’t expect quality of life to change. Darlene, Ron, and Jeremy practiced their musical instruments a little more, we played a few more family games, and we got into more family discussions. But I was surprised when Carol told me how much better we all got along with each other.

Guess what? Shortly after that educational experiment, we sold the TV and used the money for music lessons. Our kids were in on the family pow-wow, and that decision was unanimous.

For the rest of the school, was there life after television? After just two days, there was weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth in many of the homes – and much of that came from the parents!

It was surprising how many families had wrapped and warped their lives around the box that usurped so much of their time. Unplugging the television was like a divorce, and life was shattered. Many families couldn’t take it and turned the TV back on. Relief flooded their homes as each family member resumed going his or her separate way.

That was in 1979 and we still do not immerse ourselves in television, theater, entertainment, etc. Our daughters and Carol & I own televisions, but the TVs are tools we use at our discretion. On the other hand, our two married boys, Ron and Jeremy and their large families, don’t own television sets. We all understand what life is about.

Now, where was I? Oh yes … is there life without the internet?

The first question my Precious Carol and I asked ourselves is: What is the purpose of this extended trip?

The purpose is two-fold. We realized that if nothing in our lives changed in these, our later years, we would not be making any new memories. So 1) I resigned from all my responsibilities to reduce stress, and be with Carol. And 2) I need time to write two or three books.

And guess what? It is great! Even without internet.

But let me be open with you: I do need wi-fi and internet periodically, but not 24/7. I need internet capability – as when I need to email you folk, send my Reflection articles to the newspaper, and do research – and the park officials allow me to intermittently use their service in the lodge. But leaving the RV to do that means I plan my time judiciously because this trip was mainly about spending time with Carol.

So, are there benefits of not having internet and TV? Yes, that’s why I am not paying for it at RV campsites. But we are paying for electricity. That comes in handy if we want to have lights, heat, and use of the computer – wi-fi or not.

One man asked me, “Don’t you want continuous use of your e-mail service?”

I told him that I can live without most of the e-mail I receive, and e-mail that friends and family send can be answered when I have time. I reminded him of the benefit of e-mail: others can send e-mail at THEIR convenience, and I can respond at MY convenience. I am not hog-tied to the internet or e-mail; the telephone is what’s needed for immediate interaction.

 Well, since you’re reading this, I suppose the e-mail worked and my blog got through the internet. Have a great day.

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You’ve Got to be Kidding!

The following event took place in 2018.

“Where are you going this time?” Ed seemed to think my Precious and I should stay put for a while. “And how long will you be gone?”

“We’re going to The Ridges Resort in Young Harris, Georgia. It’s time for the annual reunion of the USS Yorktown (CV-5) Survivor’s Club, and we’re meeting in northern Georgia this year. The reunion will run from May 2-6. I’m the chaplain for the group”

“Oh yeah. Your dad was on the Yorktown at the Battle of Midway, wasn’t he? When was that battle?”

“June 3-6, 1942, and the ship sunk on June 7. I replaced Dad as chaplain of the survivor’s club when Dad died. We’re wrapping a trip around the reunion.”

“Young Harris? Funny name for a town.”

“It’s a real town – a small one – about six miles south of the Tennessee border and about 110 miles by road south of Gatlinburg, Tennessee.”

I told Ed we bought a travel trailer, and that it’ll be our home on the road for a month. I also mentioned that we would visit the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., the Gettysburg Battlefield, Niagara Falls, and maybe Noah’s Ark in Williamstown, Kentucky again before coming home.

 “The trip sure sounds interesting. But I know you: you wouldn’t buy a trailer for only a one-month trip, and I know you have to be home for your writer’s conference in June. So, why the trailer?”

“Okay, Ed; I’ll give you a hint. Starting in late July or early August, we’ll be on the road for about a year.”

“A year! Are you serious?”

“Yes, we’ll be gone for about a year, and the trailer will, indeed, be our home on the road. We’ll need a renter for the house. If you know of a family who needs a home for a year, let me know. But regarding the trip, I’m going to conduct an informal survey of churches across America while we travel the country. And, yes, we’ll do a lot of sight-seeing as we go.”

Shaking his head, “More like a spot-check survey. I think you ought to stay home. You going to keep writing for the paper?”

“Oh yes. For some reason Graham Thomas puts up with me, so you’ll see me every Wednesday in the Herald-Leader. And I’ll send Graham Tales From the Road periodically.”

Ed said he would pummel me with more questions later; but he had errands to run.

We never had a trailer before, so we made a preliminary week-end excursion to the Dallas area in March to learn about pulling one. We’ve named the car Traveler and the trailer Casita. In US Navy terms, the Dallas trip was the trial-run; the month-long Yorktown Reunion trip will be the shake-down cruise; and the year-long excursion will be the maiden voyage. (The month-long stretched into a 7-week trip.)

I chuckle as I think about Ed’s and my conversation. It’s true that Carol and I travel a bit, and I’m thinking of a trip back in June of 1970. Renting a U-Haul truck, we were moving from Everett, Washington to Los Alamos, New Mexico. Carol and our two kids flew by United Airlines, and a friend, Oscar Moe, drove the truck with me. Stopping in Pinehurst, Idaho for gas, Oscar struck up a conversation with the gas-station attendant.

“How long have you lived here in Pinehurst?” Oscar asked.

“All my life.”

“Have you traveled much throughout the Great Northwest?”

“Never been outa Pinehurst.”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but you said you are 38-years-old, and you’ve never been out of town?”

“Yup. Don’t need to go nowhere. Family’s here, dog’s here. Ma and Pa’s buried here.”

That amazed me! I was almost 24-years-old, married almost 4 years, and had traveled coast-to-coast with my Navy parents. Meeting someone who had never been out of town? That was almost beyond my comprehension.

Well, back to the 2018 trip.

Ed didn’t think we were really serious about this trip in a small trailer, and when he saw it, he burst out, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

I agreed with him that this will be living in close quarters for a while, and the weekend trip to Dallas would introduce us to living with each other in a portable house that is about half the size of the living room in our house. Will there be tension or misunderstandings? We are human, so the answer was yes. The inside space of a 20-foot trailer has only about 120 useable square feet, and that’s a lot less personal space than a 1750-square-foot house!

But our dedication to Jesus Christ was foundational and our love for and devotion to each other is a close second. We understand human nature. but no matter what happens on this ball we call earth, I’d rather be with Carol than with anyone else in the world. Therefore, overcoming problems is a given, and we will grow through them.

That was five years ago, and Carol & I have slowed down a little. But don’t be surprised if you hear that we took off on another trip. After all, the Casita is still on our driveway in front of the house. Tires are good, and — come to think of it, we are going to Texas in 2 weeks. Hmmmm………